Meaning of Lombard Street to a China orange | Babel Free

Definitions

very long odds (in favour or against an outcome)

dated, figuratively, uncountable

Examples

“As Jorrocks expressed it, in the event of such a catastrophe happening, “It was all Lombard Street to a China orange we’d lose the number of our mess and sarve as food for fishes!””

“The odds, too, are against a drunkard's reformation; all Lombard Street to a China orange.”

“Mora has been a favourite recreation with these people almost from their cradles, and he would be a bold man indeed who would venture to challenge a Torrese at this game, for the native's skill and experience are almost bound to tell eventually in his favour, and the odds are "Lombard Street to a China orange" against the outside player.”

“It looked the proverbial Lombard Street to a china orange that he must be run down and killed. By a superlatively skilful piece of driving, the bus-driver just managed to avoid him[.]”

CEFR level